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Thursday, January 26, 2017

About Hawa Mahal Jaipur - Architecture, Facts, History & Visit Timing

Hawa Mahal or the 'Palace Of The Winds' located in the heart of the
beautiful Pink City of Jaipur in Rajasthan, India, is one of the most
famous tourist attractions and a prominent landmark of the city that is
renowned for its rich cultural and architectural history. Built in 1799
by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh of the Kachhwaha Rajput dynasty, this
beautiful structure is predominantly a high screen wall made of pink and
red sandstone that facilitated royal women to get an eyeful of the
street festivals and busy city life while remaining out of the view of
public. This five-storey building in the shape of a crown of Lord
Krishna with 953 jharokhas or windows and a beautifully decorated façade
resembling a honeycomb of a beehive that gives one a feel of the rich
heritage of the Rajputs.

History

In 1799, the Kachhwaha Rajput ruler, Sawai Pratap Singh, grandson of
Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh ordered Lal Chand Usta to construct an
extension to the Royal City Palace. The Purdah system at the time was
strictly followed. Rajput royal ladies should not be seen by strangers
or appear in any public area. The construction of Hawa Mahal allows the
royal ladies to enjoy from every day street scenes to royal processions
on the street without being seen.

Architecture

The five-stores palace was built in the form of Krishna’s crown
because Sarai Pratap Singh was devoted to Krishna, the Hindu god.

The mahal has a total of 953 small casements each with small lattice
worked pink window, balconies and arched roofs with hanging cornices.
This allows cool breeze blow through the mahal and keep it cool and airy
in summer. Despite the large number of windows, each of them are size
of a peep hole such that the royal ladies were not to be seen by the
public.

The top three storeys are a single room thick, namely Vichitra
Mandir, Prakash Mandir and Hawa Mandir. The Maharaja worshipped the
Krishna at the Vichitra Mandir. while the Prakash Mandir provides an
open terrace to both sides. Worth noting is that there are no steps to
the upper floors but ramps. They are for the palanquin of the royal
ladies.

The autumn celebrations took place on the Sharad Mandir on the first
floor. Don’t miss out on the colourful glassworks on Ratan Mandir on the
second floor.

Contrast to the rich decoration of the exterior, the interiors of the
mahal is much simpler. But it is also where you will find the best view
of the city of Jaipur

Location

Located at Hawa Mahal Rd, Badi Choupad in Jaipur, you will not find any
hassle while spotting this attraction. In fact, if you run short of time
but want to see Hawa Mahal, you can have a quick view of it while
travelling through Badi Chaupad. This was built so intricately that you
can see the beauty even at a glance.

Best Time to Visit

Since it's Jaipur, which is in Rajasthan, it is always better to plan
your trip during October and March. In fact, these are the six months
when the Jaipur weather becomes very pleasant. In the day time, the
weather becomes pleasing, while in the night, you may need to pull on
the quilts.

How to Reach

You can reach the city by three modes of transport, plane, train or bus and even cab.

From Sanganer airport, you will get buses and cabs. It is up to you
which one you would like to take. If you want to consider trains, then
the nearest metro station is Merta Road Jn Railway Station. Bus service
is also available, which will help you to reach the city without any
trouble. But if you want even a more convenient travel experience, you
can book a cab. You can take a look in and around the city whenever you
want.